One of the last bastions of analogue sources, the humble AM/FM radio, is to be shut down in 2015, though manufacturers and retailers are still happily selling radio sets that will become obsolete. 

http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/touchingthevoid/28943/is-this-the-end-of-your-radio/

Hope we're not stuck with DAB !

I didn't think the government had actually committed to a switch-off of analogue radio?

Given that DrAB (certainly as implemented in this country) seems to have lost most of its' backing I wonder if it will ever happen.

Kevin

From what i hear Dabs rubbish, esp when moving.

...and how do you convert an analogue radio to Dab?

Kevin Wood wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 09:32:

I didn't think the government had actually committed to a switch-off of analogue radio? Given that DrAB (certainly as implemented in this country) seems to have lost most of its' backing I wonder if it will ever happen. Kevin

And you think that would stop this government from culling it?

Hopefully the proposal will be shelved following protests from analogue groups and the public at large, as there could be many more AM/FM radios tucked away in workshops and garages all over the country - but the TV change is definitely coming in 2012, and i still can't get my 86 year old mum to use the digital remote!!  ::)

mudflap wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 10:12:

..... but the TV change is definitely coming in 2012, and i still can't get my 86 year old mum to use the digital remote!!  ::)

It's already here, the analogue has already been switched off up here.  ;)

chrisgixer wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 09:42:

From what i hear Dabs rubbish, esp when moving.

I don't want to reignite an old argument but the DAB radio I had in my last car was excellent. The only reason it hasn't been installed in my new car yet is the BOSE amp that takes up half the boot. I'm guessing you either havn't heard a DAB in a car or it was a cr*p installation.


Quote:

...and how do you convert an analogue radio to Dab?

Pure Highway?
http://www.pure.com/images/products300/VL-60905.jpg

There don't seem to be any new DAB radios about so I'm guessing that the manufacturers are betting on DAB+ taking over soon. My understanding is that HiFi quality is possible with DAB but I imagine there will be pressure to squeeze lots of poor quality channels in to maximise revenue.  :(

Quote:

And you think that would stop this government from culling it?

It's worse than that. We're getting into Ofcom's territory here. And I've never experienced a more incompetent bunch of batsrads. They make the government look competent and squeaky clean. :-X


Quote:

but the TV change is definitely coming in 2012, and i still can't get my 86 year old mum to use the digital remote!!

The difference being that digital TV has brought significant benefits to the consumer. Better picture quality, on the whole, more channels, a handful of which are actually watchable, the possibility of some HD'ish content, decent DPG functionality so you don't have to go through the pain of teletext just to see what's on next, etc...

Give the consumer enough carrots and they'll switch over happily.

DAB (as implemented in the UK) is already obsolete, so many of the DAB sets already sold will have to be binned sooner or later. It gives worse sound quality than analogue FM, before you try to cram in more channels. DAB+ might give you more channels per unit bandwidth with today's poor sound quality but at the expense of compatibility with the earlier DAB sets.

Even if you give the customer more channels, someone has to provide content, and airtime on DAB is expensive so they are all bailing out.

Meanwhile, anywhere there's an internet connection you can listen to practically any radio station in the world at DAB or better levels of sound quality using a PC or Wi-Fi radio. Any "digital radio" I buy will be going down this route, not DAB.

.. Which just leaves car audio. Cars have a lifetime of 15 years or so, so DAB can take over 15 years after cars are being equipped 100% with DAB radios from new. When will that be?

DAB was rushed out in the UK based on a promise that it would relinquish bandwidth that OFCOM could make a fortune out of selling. Had we taken a more considered approach we might have spotted the fact that it's a white elephant and that the last bandwidth selloff left a lot of fingers burnt, so the silly bidding is unlikely to be repeated - especially at 100MHz where it's not that useful for cellular networks.

Kevin

i guess you just get a dab adaptor like the ipod adaptors,  has its own display stuck on the dash, and broadcasts within 12ft, i.e. to your head unit.

I think there is already one on the market from harman/kardon not sure tho will look


ok,  the HIGHWAY by PURE is coming out for about £70 doing what i said above

http://www.pure.com/Factsheets/VL-60905.pdf

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/images/dab/pure_highway_450w_q50.jpg

i like the fact it says using an obsolete fm in your area, or something like that!

I am guessing they will all be obsolete then! lol

Andy H wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 11:07:

chrisgixer wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 09:42: From what i hear Dabs rubbish, esp when moving. I don't want to reignite an old argument but the DAB radio I had in my last car was excellent. The only reason it hasn't been installed in my new car yet is the BOSE amp that takes up half the boot. I'm guessing you either havn't heard a DAB in a car or it was a cr*p installation. Quote: ...and how do you convert an analogue radio to Dab? Pure Highway? http://www.pure.com/images/products300/VL-60905.jpg There don't seem to be any new DAB radios about so I'm guessing that the manufacturers are betting on DAB+ taking over soon. My understanding is that HiFi quality is possible with DAB but I imagine there will be pressure to squeeze lots of poor quality channels in to maximise revenue.  :(

hear from others, not hear first hand. So no i havent heard  :D

The Lords communications committee reports on Guardian website..

"there will be as many as 100m radios that are no longer required once digital switchover has occurred – though many people may decide to hold onto their old radios to listen to the local and community FM stations that will spring up once the national stations have moved to digital."

bags i Radio Harrow for Prog!  8-)




http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/mar/29/digital-radio-switchover-scrappage

mudflap wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 14:48:

"there will be as many as 100m radios that are no longer required once digital switchover has occurred – though many people may decide to hold onto their old radios to listen to the local and community FM stations that will spring up once the national stations have moved to digital."

I read that another way: national stations will no longer be listened to after the digital switchover.

No bad thing, as they are bad enough now and getting worse IMHO.

Kevin

This is pretty ill thought out.

Tv has one other advantage and that is the fact that the average life of a TV is around 8-10 years........for radios, its double this!

Hence, we have been going digital for 10+ years now on the Tv services and the transition has been relatively smooth thanks to the short(ish) life of the average set.

I have DAB in three of my cars, including (ahem) a very quiet one. I'm delighted with it.

the reception is better than FM

the sound quality is loads better, too.

they could turn off FM tomorrow for me.

2woody wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 16:16:

I have DAB in three of my cars,  .....

Via what?
If it's one of these things that transmit to your car's FM radio what functions have you now lost?

no inputs on my ncdc2015, an ironic number you'll notice, not ment to suggest intended sevice life i wouldn't think...?

although i'm sure the lasers will go before then. Bloody hell, i'll be 46 and thwee quarterth by then.

Andy B wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 16:22:

2woody wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 16:16: I have DAB in three of my cars,  ..... Via what? If it's one of these things that transmit to your car's FM radio what functions have you now lost?

No - DAB-receiving head unit.

Blaupunkt woodstock from memory.

only real problem is that I have more than three cars, so I don't always get to listen.

The one in the Lotus is good, but at the moment it's still not on the road, so I can't test it in motion.

When I had the first DAB in the Omega it was great - especially as the antenna was on the roof. (according to my EMC expert, having a flat steel "ground-plane" to sit the antenna on gives the best reception)

The one in the Discovery is best - as it's got an OE sub-woofer system and amps.

Also fitted to the Bentley, but the speakers aren't great, so the sound is a bit limited. No background noise helps, tho.

chrisgixer wrote on 30. Mar 2010 at 18:59:

no inputs on my ncdc2015, an ironic number you'll notice, not ment to suggest intended sevice life i wouldn't think...? although i'm sure the lasers will go before then. Bloody hell, i'll be 46 and thwee quarterth by then.

Us old f@rts will be listening to them through hearing aids anyway.  ;)

Kevin

2woody wrote on 31. Mar 2010 at 09:33:

.... The one in the Lotus is good,  ......

No functions to lose then!  ;)  ;)  ;)  :y

I have a Sony DAB (yes TB "Sony") head unit which is very good. The only down side is that Kerrang don't seem to have a local transmitter where i live & it's hit & miss.
If i wanted to listen to Punjabi or Sabra (or what ever the crap's called) & a few other crap stations that have sprung up near me i'd be happy ::) >:( >:(